Abure-led Labour Party Faction Gives Peter Obi 48 Hours To Resign

A fresh crisis has erupted within the Labour Party as the faction led by Julius Abure has given its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, a 48-hour ultimatum to resign over his involvement in a new opposition coalition party.

The party issued the ultimatum on Thursday, a day after Obi appeared alongside other opposition figures at the unveiling of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abuja.

The coalition, which seeks to challenge the current political administration, has adopted the ADC as its political platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Unlike Rotimi Amaechi and Abubakar Malami, both former ministers who publicly resigned from the APC after joining the ADC, Obi is yet to formally withdraw from the Labour Party despite his involvement in the coalition.

In a statement signed by the party’s spokesman, Obiora Ifoh, the Labour Party distanced itself from the coalition, describing it as a club of worn-out politicians seeking political rehabilitation.

“Peter Gregory Obi has received a 48-hour ultimatum to formally resign his membership of the Labour Party having officially joined the coalition. The Labour Party is not part of this arrangement and disassociates itself from its agenda,” the statement partly read.

Ifoh accused Obi of holding secret meetings with members of the party in an attempt to convince them to defect to the new group.

He said the party was aware of such efforts and would not tolerate divided loyalty.

“We are aware of several nocturnal meetings between Peter Obi and some of our members, lobbying them to join him in his new party. While some have resisted, we will not hesitate to demand the resignation of anyone aligning with him,” he said.

The party warned that it would not serve as a platform for individuals with conflicting political interests.

“The Labour Party is not available to people with a dual agenda. You cannot be in one party during the day and in another by night. The party must be built on loyalty and discipline, not deception and political convenience,” Ifoh said.

He also questioned the credibility of the coalition, stating that it does not reflect the ideals that inspired millions of young Nigerians during the 2023 elections.

“Seventy percent of our population are young people who rejected the old order and rallied around a movement for real change. What we see in this coalition is a desperate attempt by familiar faces to return to power through the back door. It is not the future the youths voted for,” he added.

While the Labour Party reaffirmed its commitment to the values that defined its rise in the last election cycle, it urged members to remain focused and not be swayed by political distractions.